Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1887-04-09
STORY OF A PLATE.
Or, How a Great Discovery Was
Finally Lost.


dad it not been for a miserable acci-
dent-had not my hand trembled with
excitement when at the moment when
calmness and nerve were most required
the secret Of another lost art might
have been gained for the world, The
story is the strsngest that has ever
come within my personal experience,
and my only regret is that | am not
able to make it complete. The secret,
however, is forever lost, and what
would have been Of the most inestima-
bic benefit to the scientific world has
been inetrieyablydestroyed
A month ago last Thursday | re-
ceived a note from my friend Samuel
Paige Butler asking me to call upon
him at his lodgings in West Forty
second street the following evening,
provided | had no previous engage
ment, and give him my opinion upon
the beauty of apiecc of japanese porce-
lain ware which he had recently bought
and Of which he was extremely proud.
Mr.. Butler is a little less han forty
years of age, has a wide experience
with the world, is a profound scholar,
particularly in the Oriental arts and
languages, and has money enough to
satisfy every want he may have and
allow him to travel whenever and
wherever he desires, For ten years he
lived in Japan and China, after he had
resigned a L~ieutenancy in the navy,
and is thoroughly proficient in the his
tory, traditions and written languages
Of both nations. Besides these accom-
plishments Mr.. Butler is an excellent
scientist, and is particularly well
yersed in chemistry. Knowing his
knowledge Of japanese art | decided
at once to accept his invitation, for |
felt assured that there must be some
reason for asking ne To call other than
lsre desire 70 hear the opinion Of one
. iguo-zlt concerning such matters a.
-geG IEs usXt evening accordingly
tozld z Il hi. pleasant library before
zh4z;ag --z,e FIRE and surrounded by
dazzling display Of bric-a-brac, rare
cEr9s. scientific appliances picked up
II s7sy civilized country on the globe.
Tie plat. which ! vas summoned to
examine and crtici-e was Of Hizen
ware, which j. among the oldest Of
JApane-e porcelains. 1t was larger by
one-hzlt than the usual porcelain
plaque. The face Of the plate was in
descnbably rich in color. The back
ground was dark green, over which
there were in raised enamel of purple
and gold figures Of beautiful birds,
whose gorgeous plumage We'd with
hues Of the rainbow in brilliancy. The
reverse side Of the plate was dingy
brown in color and notified with age.
This said my friend, after | had
expressed my opinion Of the beauty OF
his purchase, "is one of the rarest
specimens Of porcelain have ever seen.
have seen but three pieces in Japan
any older. | bought it from an ig
norant dealer, who got it from a sailor
and parted with it for a sum so pitiful
~ small that my conscience r~eproachet
me for accepting his offer, and | SHOULD
have doubled his price il I could hav,
done 50 without exciting his cupidit,
TO such an extent that | would hav,
been utterly unable to purchase it a
any figure. 1t is my opinion that i
was made at least three centuries ago
somewhere about the time of Talk,
sama, as H~ideyoshi, the great Japanes'
statesman and warrior. was commonl,
called by his subjects. During hi
sway the art of making porcelain ros'
to a high state of perfection which
soon after his death, fell into a state 0
desuetude and was revived a centur,
later. In the island kinshin this ar
took its origin, and at Hizen this plat
was made. The peculiar style o
tracery on its face proves it TO hav
been manufactured there. In thos
early days porcelains were decorate,
with painful care, and often an arts
would only live to fashion two or tire
designs, as the monks Of the dark age
illuminated the pages Of their Bibles
You will notice the patience OF the art
ist who painted this plate. The draw
ing Of these birds and the blending {
the colors could not have taken LEI
than years Of patient toll"
While Mr.. Butler was talking h
leaned the plate against the globe
his students lamp, so that we migl
the better observe its beauty. Aft.
discoursing for some time upon Il
manufacture Of early porcelains-
subject in which he was deeply int
estcd-he reached for the plate to 9
anime it more carefully, but findir
that 1t had become uncomfortably h
from its contact with the lamp he la
It face downward on the table to coo
1t had not been in that position mar
seconds before we 10th noticed u chan,
in lis appearance. The dingy brow
surfsee Of the bottom Of the plate hi
become clearer and lighter in colo
but what astonished us far more W,
the appearance Of certain indistin'
characters which were rapidly fadin
an Ms the plate cooled. As near
as We could Judge from our hasty il
srection We thought these characteI
hire some resemblance TO Jspnnei
letters. Something very slngui,